Secrets
by Smoky White Tiger
Summary: Trust. So strong and true, yet so easy to break. It pays its visits from time to time, but never lasts. So Goldenpaw, who was the leader-like one among her friends, had the strong trust of Featherpaw, Leopardpaw, and Leafpaw. And then she disappears, and the three other she-cats are lost in a world of betrayal and secrets.


**Hey, everyone, and welcome to _Secrets_! This is my first fanfic, so please don't be too harsh or critical in the reviews for this story. I've been thinking of writing something like this for quite a while, now, but I only got a FanFiction account recently. Anyway, have fun reading, and I hope you all enjoy the story!**

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 **Disclaimer: I do not own _Warriors._ The books rightfully belong to Erin Hunter. I only claim ownership to the plot line and characters.**

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 **Full Summary:**

 **In every clan, there's always one cat who seems to have the perfect life. In ThunderClan, this was Goldenpaw. With her flawless beauty and her charming personality, Goldenpaw had it all. She had her way of drawing out secrets from anyone, anytime she wanted. Those who trusted her the most poured all their thoughts into her, knowing that she would keep their secrets safe.**

 **But this story isn't about Goldenpaw. It's about Featherpaw, Leopardpaw, and Leafpaw, who, being her closest friends, trusted Goldenpaw with all their hearts. And then Goldenpaw disappears, and the three remaining she-cats are trapped in a world of betrayal and secrets.**

 **The three she-cats' struggle to find out the truth becomes a desperate fight for survival.**

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 **Okay, now, onto the actual story!**

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 **Chapter 1 - Featherpaw:**

The cold midnight breeze ruffled Featherpaw's thick, silver-white fur, and she shivered slightly under the harsh stare of the claw-moon in the dark sky. Her paws dug into the soft grass, and her clear, blue-gray eyes glimmered faintly. The trees around Featherpaw rustled as the icy leaf-bare wind whipped through the night air, and the silver-white she-cat blinked hesitantly as she turned her head slightly from side to side, looking around her.

Featherpaw pressed into warm, dark brown tabby fur, her fur flattening as warm spread through her. As she turned her head slightly upward, a soft purr escaped her jaws, and a tail twined with hers. The tom beside her lowered his head slightly, so that the two of them could touch noses.

"Meet me here tomorrow night," the dark brown tabby whispered, and Featherpaw nodded. "May StarClan light your path, Featherpaw." The two of them pressed against each other once more, and pulled apart in heartbeats. That moment of happiness, when the two had been pressed together, was gone, too quickly, Featherpaw felt.

Featherpaw purred. "And yours, Shadepaw. I'll see you later?"

"Of course."

Featherpaw watched as Shadepaw turned away from the ThunderClan and ShadowClan border and waved his tail brightly as he vanished into the pines of ShadowClan territory. Now that he had gone, Featherpaw wanted to run after him and call him back, but she knew she couldn't. If she did, the clans would know about her relationship with Shadepaw across the clan boundaries.

Sighing softly, Featherpaw turned back toward ThunderClan territory. Her heart thumped in her chest as she padded away from the border, hoping that she could get back into the apprentices' den without anyone noticing. It was quite a risk for both her and Shadepaw to take, meeting at the border every night. Still, she could hardly wait to see Shadepaw again, tomorrow.

"That was interesting."

Featherpaw froze. Shock flared in the depths of her blue-gray eyes, and her heart sped up as the bushes ahead of her rustled. A sleek-furred golden she-cat padded out, beautiful amber eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "I didn't quite expect _that_ , Featherpaw."

"G-Goldenpaw!" Featherpaw's voice came out as a hoarse whisper, her paws rooted to the ground. In heartbeats, she straightened up, glaring at Goldenpaw defiantly, with a faint trace of worry shining in her eyes. "What did you see?" she demanded.

"Enough to tell me that you're breaking the warrior code." Goldenpaw shook out her fur and took a few steps closer. "Shadepaw's from ShadowClan. And there are plenty other toms _in ThunderClan_ who would be far better for you."

"The few who aren't busy padding after _you,_ " Featherpaw retorted.

Goldenpaw bristled ever-so-slightly as the wind brushed over her, then let her golden fur fall perfectly into place once more, leaving Goldenpaw beautiful, as she always appeared. Still, she tossed her head to the side, slightly, the way she usually did, and ignored Featherpaw's comment. "Featherpaw, you can choose what you want to do in the end, but I'm reminding you, again, he's from _ShadowClan._ "

Featherpaw flinched. "It was nothing. Just forget about it."

"It looked like more than _nothing_ to me," Goldenpaw pressed, and Featherpaw thought that she could detect the trace of a smirk on Goldenpaw's features. "It seemed that you have more than just a _friendly_ relationship with Shadepaw."

"Well... it's happened with other cats before," Featherpaw offered weakly.

Now, the smirk on Goldenpaw's face grew clearer, and Featherpaw's face grew warmer as she spoke. "I hope that you'll learn to either keep quiet or control yourself," she stated, "because otherwise, you'll be in _trouble._ "

Under the beautiful golden she-cat's amber stare, Featherpaw lowered her head slightly. She felt tears spring to her eyes, but she fought them back. _She's right,_ Featherpaw realized. _Sooner or later, the clans will find out._ Featherpaw closed her eyes for a long heartbeat, thinking. She couldn't bear to lose Shadepaw, but she knew that as a close friend, Goldenpaw wanted the best for her.

With a slight cough, Featherpaw pushed past Goldenpaw, not glancing once at the smirk on her face, and bounded into the forest.

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As the faintest light sparked in the sky, Goldenpaw began to slow, as she was nearing the camp. Strangely, when her heart drooped, her feet were heavy, as well, and it took her a lot of effort to move her paws. Her blue-gray eyes, normally bright with laughter, were dull and shadowed, and her tail drooped as she walked, fur ragged. It was easy to tell that Featherpaw had let tears flow for a while, as her cheek fur was damp, and her figure exhausted.

"Featherpaw!"

Featherpaw didn't bother turning around. She recognized the voice immediately as Goldenpaw's. "Featherpaw!"

Instead of replying, she stalked faster through the trees. However, she heard the sound of the pawsteps growing louded and louder as Goldenpaw bounded up to catch up with her.

Goldenpaw's voice was closer, now, but Featherpaw made no attempt to speed up. "Featherpaw..." Part of her wanted to hear what Goldenpaw had to say, while another part wanted her to turn and run back to camp.

"Featherpaw, wait!" Her golden-furred friend laid a tail on Featherpaw's shoulder, and the silver-white she-cat reluctantly turned to face her, tail twitching and blue-gray eyes betraying exhaustion and pure distress.

Featherpaw took a step toward Goldenpaw. "Please don't tell anyone!" she begged, crumpling to the floor. She felt the tears well up again, but this time, she let them flow. "Please, Goldenpaw, I'll do anything you want... I'll _worship_ you like StarClan... just please... don't..."

Goldenpaw flicked her tail. "Featherpaw."

"Please... just don't tell anyone about this!" Featherpaw barely heard Goldenpaw's words as she desperately pleaded again.

"Featherpaw." The touch of Goldenpaw's tail between her ears somehow made Featherpaw want to look up into the beautiful she-cat's amber eyes and listen. "Meet Shadepaw tomorrow night, okay? Tell him that you _can't_ see him anytime except Gatherings."

"B-but Shadepaw'll think that-"

Goldenpaw flicked her tail. "Then you lie." There was a soft gleam in her eyes. "You have a day to think of something to tell him, Featherpaw. But you _can't_ meet Shadepaw in secret again."

"If the others find out..." Featherpaw began, her voice barely a whisper.

"They won't." Goldenpaw's words suddenly seemed so sincere, her voice so true and full of hope. It sparked something within Featherpaw, it made her want Goldenpaw to say more to her, it brought a small light back to her blue-gray eyes, once more.

Featherpaw bowed her head. "Thank you."

"Go back to camp, now, Featherpaw, and rest," Goldenpaw mewed. "I'll try and tell Icefang to let you sleep a little longer, when I see him."

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Featherpaw's head spun, and her cheek stung where she had been struck. Blinking her wide blue-gray eyes, she stared up to see Icefang, a pure-white, green-eyed tom, staring down at her scornfully. Cheeks burning with embarrassment beneath her silver-white fur, Featherpaw rose to her paws.

"Honestly!" Icefang spat, lashing his tail. "As my apprentice, I thought you'd do a lot better than that. You're never going to become a warrior at this state."

Featherpaw flinched at the harsh words, and Icefang seemed to realize that he'd been slightly too harsh. From a few tail-lengths away, where she trained with her mentor Wolfstrike, Goldenpaw shot Featherpaw a sympathetic glance.

Icefang shook out his fur, then lay a tail on her shoulder. He was a young warrior, perhaps only a moon or two older than she was. "I'm sorry. But please, Featherpaw, _do_ put some effort to try and train properly." The large white tom paused. "Let's come back to that. For now, I'll show you the jump-and-pin."

The silver-white she-cat yawned, exhausted.

"Why are you so tired?" Icefang narrowed his green eyes as he spoke. "I've been watching you, recently, Featherpaw. You've been becoming more and more distracted, and more tired, as well. You don't focus when we're training. I want to know what's been going on."

Featherpaw forced herself not to flinch under her mentor's long stare. Quick as a flash, Goldenpaw was beside her. "Oh, she's just not able to sleep, lately. I don't know why, but I've seen her tossing and turning in her nest almost every night."

Icefang's stern gaze changed to one of concern. "Do you need to see Snowfern?" The white, blue-eyed she-cat about whom Icefang spoke was his sister, as well as the ThunderClan medicine cat.

"I think I'll be fine." Featherpaw dipped her head as she spoke. "Thank you," she whispered to Goldenpaw, too quietly for Icefang to hear. The beautiful golden she-cat flicked her tail to let Featherpaw know that she had heard.

"If you're sure," Icefang mewed. "Attack me."

Featherpaw launched herself directly at the white tom, claws sheathed. Her paws struck empty air as Icefang leaped back, and pushed off against an oak. Featherpaw stared as her mentor flew toward her, and she instinctively rolled aside.

"H-how do you do that?" Featherpaw asked, jumping to her paws.

Icefang flicked his tail. "Watch me closely this time. Attack me again, and this time, don't try to defend yourself. Act as though you aren't expecting it." With a nod, Featherpaw ran at her mentor, her eyes on the white tom. Icefang sprang backwards, and pushed against the oak with his hind legs. Featherpaw watched with wide eyes as Icefang landed with deadly precision on her back, sending her to the ground.

The large white tom released Featherpaw, and stared down at her. "Are you okay?" Featherpaw nodded. Icefang's green eyes were ust so mezmerizing, filled with genuine concern and worry, making Featherpaw want to hold his gaze forever.

Jumping to her paws, Featherpaw shook out her fur, listening as intently as she could to Icefang as her mentor gave the next instruction. "Did you understand it?" he asked, and Featherpaw nodded. "Then, _you_ try it, Featherpaw."

Without warning, Icefang sprang at Featherpaw. Startled, the silver-white she-cat bushed up her fur, her mind whirling. Backing away, she pushed off against the oak and tried to imitate the exact movements her mentor had used.

Featherpaw landed a few tail-lengths before Icefang. Her mentor sighed. "Put more force into it. There's a lot of strength in your hind legs. Use it. Push off against the tree harder, so you go farther."

With a long sigh, Featherpaw stood and waited for Icefang's attack.

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 **So there's the first chapter of _Secrets!_ The story, as you'll see later on, will be in the point of view of three cats. These cats will rotate every chapter. ****I hope you all enjoyed the story so far.**

 **Please review and let me know what you think!**

 **~Smoky White Tiger**


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